The present technology relates to an image processing apparatus, a source device, an image processing system, an image processing method, and a program. To be specific, the present disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus, a source device, an image processing system, an image processing method, and a program for combining a plurality of images.
An OSD (On Screen Display) function has been used in the past to set horizontal or vertical adjustment of a position, correction of distortion, contrast, brightness, and the like of a display. The OSD function is a function for performing settings and the like using a displayed OSD image, which is used in settings of a display and the like, by combining the OSD image with a main image of the display.
When the OSD image is combined with the main image, a technique that is called alpha blending, in which a coefficient that is called an α value is defined as a combining ratio and image combining is performed based on the combining ratio, is used in many cases. In the alpha blending, for example, an OSD image is combined with a main image in a mask process in which a mask image of which a combining ratio is indicated by a pixel value is used. Alternatively, a technique in which an OSD image of which a combining ratio is added to each pixel is generated, an image processing apparatus detects the combining ratio from the OSD image, and then the OSD image is combined with a main image is used.
In order to realize the OSD function using the alpha blending, an image processing apparatus in which an OSD generator and an OSD superimposing circuit are included, and the OSD generator generates an OSD image and a combining ratio and then transmits the image and the combining ratio to the OSD superimposing circuit has been proposed (for example, refer to JP 2004-101924A). The OSD superimposing circuit superimposes (in other words, combines) the OSD image on a main image based on the combining ratio from the OSD generator.